Solar powered radio from 1956
Modern Mechanix (slogan - "Yesterday's tomorrow, today") found this ad in a 1956 copy of Popular Electronics:
Sun-Powered ReceiverAn experimental pocket-sized radio receiver, powered by energy from the sun, weighs only 10 ounces and will work more than eight months in total darkness without recharging. Developed by General Electric, the set uses a miniature storage battery, four transistors, and seven solar cells. During the day, light rays hit the solar cells which convert the sun’s energy to electrical current. This current powers the transistors and, at the same time, charges the storage battery which takes over at night. Artificial light, such as an ordinary 100-watt bulb, may be substituted for sunlight.
How cool is that? Hmmm, makes you wonder... What about a solar powered iPod (green, of course)?
(Via Treehugger, where the headline is much more clever.)
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Comments
All it takes is small solar panel ( 5 Watt in my case ) and you can build a USB style solar charger, that will charge most USB connected MP3 devices 1 amp at 5 volts and when nothing is connected it charges it's own internal batteries. (I'm sure it'll recharge the little lime green Ipod even though Ipods are just toxic eye candy for teenagers ) But they do blend so nicely in a blendtec blender if you don't mind the Toxic Ipod smoke.
And for those who are tech challanged I'm sure there is some commercial version out there that combines a solar panel with a USB cable...
Posted by: Bigbwana | November 22, 2007 12:07 AM
Of coarse, you overlook the fact that most people don't go out into the sun except one week a year.
Posted by: Sean | November 28, 2007 1:59 AM